Not all refugees manage to cross the border. In the North, the Turkish authorities implement...

Testimonies of refugees

“So we work on the psychosocial sector, and this can be very helpful. Some children we worked with have had big psychological improvements. For this reason we don't want to stop now, we want to improve their condition, we want to prepare them to go back to Syria. They have to be ready, because they are the ones who will build the future Syria.”

~ Maryam, 24, activist, from Homs

“Muslims say that the Greater Jihad is the struggle to provide food for the children, more than the Jihad of fighting. And in my opinion this is right, because when somebody makes efforts to bring food to his children and to sustain his family, this is a great deed in front of God and all the people.”

~ Elias, 45, tiler, from Homs countryside

“Finally in August, during the army incursion, they burned down my shop and my house. Right at that moment I escaped to Jordan. If you have lost your house and your shop, why would you stay? Either you die, or you flee.”

~ Abd el Rahman, 50, shop owner, from Deraa governorate

“We are even afraid of answering phone calls, because our family is over there under the bombs. At any time, they might call you and tell you that your friend has died, or your brother, or your neighbour... you are afraid of hearing that someone has been injured or killed...”

~ Ahmed, around 25 years, university student, from Homs

“Here in this building, we are 40-45 families. There are common toilets outside. On the top floor there are neither doors nor windows; they have closed it with curtains and this is where the families live. Rain gets inside their place. And they have little children with them...”

~ Huda, around 45 years, housewife, from Hama

“We want to go back to Syria: the need for mental health services after the crisis will be very big. Now most of the people are busy with the revolution; later on they will remember the losses, they will think of replacing their destroyed house, of their lost life as university students, of their work... we will keep covering part of the needs.”

~ Rashad, 42, psychological counsellor, from Latakia (member of a psychosocial support group for refugees)